Can crushing apparatus

Abstract

A can crushing apparatus includes a base and a receiving bin with an end wall and a pair of side walls extending upwardly from the base. The base has an aperture positioned adjacent to the end wall. A drive assembly is mounted to the base. The drive assembly includes an arm having a free end that extends into the receiving bin and moves toward the end wall when the drive assembly is actuated in a first direction and away from the end wall when the drive assembly is actuated in a second direction. A can is positioned in the receiving bin and crushed between the free end of the arm and the end wall when the drive assembly is actuated in the first direction. The can then falls through the aperture when the drive assembly is actuated in the second direction.

1. A can crushing apparatus for holding and crushing a plurality of cans, said apparatus comprising:
 a base having an upper surface; 
 a receiving bin including an end wall and a pair of side walls extending upwardly from said upper surface, said side and end walls having an upper edge defining a fill opening into said receiving bin, said base having an aperture therein extending into said upper surface and outwardly of a lower surface of said base, said aperture being positioned adjacent to said end wall; 
 a drive assembly being mounted to said base, said drive assembly including an arm having a free end, said free end being positioned adjacent to said receiving bin opposite of said end wall, said free end extending into said receiving bin and moving toward said end wall when said drive assembly is actuated in a first direction and away from said end wall when said drive assembly is actuated in a second direction; 
 a loading assembly being mounted on said base and holding a plurality of the cans, said loading assembly depositing the cans into the receiving bin one at a time for each actuation of said drive assembly in said second direction, said loading assembly including;
 a ramp having a bottom wall and a pair of lateral walls, said ramp being angled downwardly toward said receiving bin, said cans being positioned on their sides on said bottom wall and rolling toward said receiving bin; 
 a retaining assembly being mounted to said arm to allow said cans to fall into said receiving bin one at a time, said retaining assembly controlling the movement of said cans from a queued position to a loaded position and then to the receiving bin, said loaded position being adjacent to an end of said ramp, said retaining assembly including a first stop abutting one of said cans in said queued position when said arm is in a retracted position and a second stop abutting one of said cans in said loaded position when said arm is in a fully extended position; and 
 
 wherein one of the cans is positioned in the receiving bin and crushed when said drive assembly is actuated in said first direction and falls through said aperture when said drive assembly is actuated in said second direction. 
 
     
     
       2. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said side walls are spaced from each other a distance between 2.5 inches and 3.0 inches, said aperture extending between said side walls and a distance from said end wall less than 2.0 inches. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said first stop includes a rod having a first portion extending away from said arm and second portion oriented parallel to a longitudinal axis of said arm, said second portion being positioned above said ramp and abutting the can in said queued position when said arm is in said retracted position after said drive assembly has been actuated in said second direction, said second portion moving away from said ramp and releasing the can in said queued position to said loaded position. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein said second stop comprises a plate being attached to and extending upwardly from said arm, said plate abutting the can in the loaded position when said arm is in said extended position after said drive assembly has been actuated in said second direction, said plate moving away from said ramp and releasing the can in said loaded position to said receiving bin. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , further including a control being operationally coupled to said drive assembly, said control causing said drive assembly to alternately actuate said arm in said first direction and said second direction at selected time intervals. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , further including a container being positioned under said base, said container receiving the cans after the cans have been crushed and fallen through said aperture. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , further including an urging member urging cans from said load assembly and into said receiving bin. 
     
     
       8. The apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein said urging member includes a hose positioned over the loaded position and directing air downward toward the loaded position and said receiving bin. 
     
     
       9. A can crushing apparatus for holding and crushing a plurality of cans, said apparatus comprising:
 a base having an upper surface; 
 a receiving bin including an end wall and a pair of side walls extending upwardly from said upper surface, said side and end walls having an upper edge defining a fill opening into said receiving bin, said base having an aperture therein extending into said upper surface and outwardly of a lower surface of said base, said aperture being positioned adjacent to said end wall and having a length and width less than three inches, said side walls being spaced from each other a distance between 2.5 inches and 3.0 inches, said aperture extending between said side walls and a distance from said end wall less than 2.0 inches; 
 a drive assembly being mounted to said base, said drive assembly including an arm having a free end, said free end being positioned adjacent to said receiving bin opposite of said end wall, said free end extending into said receiving bin and moving toward said end wall when said drive assembly is actuated in a first direction and away from said end wall when said drive assembly is actuated in a second direction; 
 wherein one of the cans is positioned in the receiving bin and crushed when said drive assembly is actuated in said first direction and falls through said aperture when said drive assembly is actuated in said second direction; 
 a loading assembly being mounted on said base and holding a plurality of the cans, said loading assembly depositing the cans into the receiving bin one at a time as said drive assembly is actuated in said second direction, said loading assembly including;
 a ramp having a bottom wall and a pair of lateral walls, said ramp being angled downwardly toward said receiving bin, said cans being positioned on their sides on said bottom wall and rolling toward said receiving bin; 
 a retaining assembly being mounted to said arm to allow said cans to fall into said receiving bin one at a time, said retaining assembly controlling the movement of said cans from a queued position to a loaded position and then to the receiving bin, said loaded position being adjacent to an end of said ramp, said retaining assembly including a first stop abutting one of said cans in said queued position when said arm is in a retracted position and a second stop abutting one of said cans in said loaded position when said arm is in a fully extended position, said first stop including a rod having a first portion extending away from said arm and second portion oriented parallel to a longitudinal axis of said arm, said second portion being positioned above said ramp and abutting the can in said queued position when said arm is in said retracted position after said drive assembly has been actuated in said second direction, said second portion moving away from said ramp and releasing the can in said queued position to said loaded position, said second stop comprising a plate being attached to and extending upwardly from said arm, said plate abutting the can in the loaded position when said arm is in said extended position after said drive assembly has been actuated in said second direction, said plate moving away from said ramp and releasing the can in said loaded position to said receiving bin; 
 
 a control being operationally coupled to said drive assembly, said control causing said drive assembly to alternately actuate said arm in said first direction and said second direction at selected time intervals; 
 a container being positioned under said base, said container receiving the cans after the cans have been crushed and fallen through said aperture; and 
 an urging member urging cans from said load assembly and into said receiving bin, said urging member including a hose positioned over the loaded position and directing air downward toward the loaded position and said receiving bin. 
 
     
     
       10. A can crushing apparatus for holding and crushing a plurality of cans, said apparatus comprising:
 a base having an upper surface; 
 a receiving bin including an end wall and a pair of side walls extending upwardly from said upper surface, said side and end walls having an upper edge defining a fill opening into said receiving bin, said base having an aperture therein extending into said upper surface and outwardly of a lower surface of said base, said aperture being positioned adjacent to said end wall; 
 a drive assembly being mounted to said base, said drive assembly including an arm having a free end, said free end being positioned adjacent to said receiving bin opposite of said end wall, said free end extending into said receiving bin and moving toward said end wall when said drive assembly is actuated in a first direction and away from said end wall when said drive assembly is actuated in a second direction; 
 a loading assembly being mounted on said base and holding a plurality of the cans, said loading assembly depositing the cans into the receiving bin one at a time for each actuation of said drive assembly in said second direction, said loading assembly including;
 a ramp having a bottom wall and a pair of lateral walls, said ramp being angled downwardly toward said receiving bin, said cans being positioned on their sides on said bottom wall and rolling toward said receiving bin; 
 a retaining assembly being mounted to said arm to allow said cans to fall into said receiving bin one at a time, said retaining assembly controlling the movement of said cans from a queued position to a loaded position and then to the receiving bin, said loaded position being adjacent to an end of said ramp; 
 an urging member urging cans from said load assembly and into said receiving bin, said urging member including a hose positioned over the loaded position and directing air downward toward the loaded position and said receiving bin; 
 
 wherein one of the cans is positioned in the receiving bin and crushed when said drive assembly is actuated in said first direction and falls through said aperture when said drive assembly is actuated in said second direction. 
 
     
     
       11. The apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein said side walls are spaced from each other a distance between 2.5 inches and 3.0 inches, said aperture extending between said side walls and a distance from said end wall less than 2.0 inches. 
     
     
       12. The apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein said retaining assembly includes a first stop abutting one of said cans in said queued position when said arm is in a retracted position and a second stop abutting one of said cans in said loaded position when said arm is in a fully extended position. 
     
     
       13. The apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein said first stop includes a rod having a first portion extending away from said arm and second portion oriented parallel to a longitudinal axis of said arm, said second portion being positioned above said ramp and abutting the can in said queued position when said arm is in said retracted position after said drive assembly has been actuated in said second direction, said second portion moving away from said ramp and releasing the can in said queued position to said loaded position. 
     
     
       14. The apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein said second stop comprises a plate being attached to and extending upwardly from said arm, said plate abutting the can in the loaded position when said arm is in said extended position after said drive assembly has been actuated in said second direction, said plate moving away from said ramp and releasing the can in said loaded position to said receiving bin. 
     
     
       15. The apparatus according to  claim 10 , further including a control being operationally coupled to said drive assembly, said control causing said drive assembly to alternately actuate said arm in said first direction and said second direction at selected time intervals. 
     
     
       16. The apparatus according to  claim 10 , further including a container being positioned under said base, said container receiving the cans after the cans have been crushed and fallen through said aperture.